Barbaric, inhumane treatment of waterfowl needs to end

The Commerce Township Board of Trustees has passed a resolution approving the use of ineffective lethal methods to reduce the number of geese, such as goose roundups, without a proper factual basis to support their resolution or the compliance with DNR requirements.

The cruelty to waterfowl during and after goose roundups are startling. The geese are separated from their goslings. Once the geese and their goslings are crated from one's property, they are taken either to slaughter, to hunting preserves or are being gassed. Before the waterfowl are killed, the geese and their goslings are thrown, stepped on and abused. Due to the cramming conditions and the way they are handled and mistreated, the waterfowl end up with broken necks and limbs.

A citizen from Oakbrooke Ridge Condominiums came before the Commerce Township Board of Trustees requesting a goose roundup knowing very well that in 2008, the condo association lied on their permit to the DNR and received approval. They undermined the DNR by stating that they owned the property around Robert H. Long Park, even though it is a Commerce Township Nature Park. They mislead the DNR by not acquiring written permission from 70 percent of all home owners around the lake to remove and kill the geese. They violated DNR's own guidelines which clearly states that any homeowner or association must implement non-lethal methods to deter geese, even egg/nest destruction before resorting to goose roundups. The association for Oakbrooke Ridge Condominiums located at 14 Mile, Welch Road and M-5 did not implement a single non-lethal method.

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The obligation of the Commerce Township Board of Trustees to the residents and constituents of the township is to make decisions and approve programs based on proven facts. They have approved the senseless killings of waterfowl based on a resident's complaint about geese poop and the number of birds in the area.

How do you determine what is a reasonable number of geese populating in a specific area? Observing a few waterfowl in the area does not justify such torture and cruel, intentional death. Goose roundups are not effective; otherwise, this program would not be implemented year, after year, after year.

The Commerce Township Board of Trustees should be collaborating with knowledgeable people and posting valuable information on their website to educate the public on how to effectively deter geese using non-lethal methods.

The use of a combination of non-lethal methods, recommended by the DNR as methods of the preferred choice, has been proven to be 100 percent effective: such as elimination of feeding, scare devices, repellents and barrier fencing. The simplest method is a landscaping modification, which is to allow the grass around the pond to grow up to two feet high. This will prevent the geese from coming on shore, fearing of predators hiding in tall grasses. The Scarecrow motion activated sprinkler is also effective in scaring the geese away from the property.

Installing mylar tape one foot above ground around the pond, which is a visual device, also prevents the geese from coming on shore. There are alligator head decoys which can float in the water, along with coyote decoys on land scaring the geese as well.

In addition, placing a couple of realistic, life-size swan decoys, attaching a 20-foot fishing line tethered to the bottom of each swan, connecting a brick and placing it in the pond, would increase efficacy. As the wind blows, the swan decoys move around, making the geese believe that they are real. Another method which is being effectively used in airports and golf courses is the lifelike, three-dimensional eagle figure kite with a realistic 6-7 foot wingspan.

Residents of Commerce Township, please contact your Board of Trustees and urge them to stop condoning the barbaric, inhumane treatment of animals and such cruel deaths by supporting and approving ineffective methods of goose roundups.